Swimming ring



Feb. 14, 1928.

A. J. ELDON SWIMMING RING Filed May 29, 1925 FIG.-

Patented F 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES rn'irsur erster.;

ALBERT J. ELDON, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEVE? YORK, SSGNOR T0 PARAIVIOTNT RUB- BER CONSOLIDTED INC., TUGKAHOE, NEEN YORK, A CORPORATION OF :DELA- "WARE swrMMrne- RING.

Appuesaon and May se, 1925. `sei-iai No. 33,799.

'lhis invention relates to 'swimming rings nipple will hereinafter .be described with ot the type comprising hollow tubular rub* ber members adapted to be placed around the body ot the user and assist in supporting him. One ot' the objects of the invention is to provide such ring in a torni which in addition to its supportingcharacteristic, may aiord amusement by reason ot its ap pearance; Another object is to so form the device that it may be folded into very cornpact shape, while being readily inflatable :tor use. Another object is to provide Vmeans for protecting the intlating nipple.

My invention is illustrated by the drawing and more fully herein described. rFhe essential novel characteristics being,"` sum* marized in the claims. ,K

In the drawings Fig. l is a perspective of one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating on a larg er scalel three ycross-sections on the lines -a,' c-m,' U2-W; respectively, attention being called to the different characters of sectioning as indicating ditl'erent sheets ot' rubber; F 3 is a side elevation ot the article in its dellated form; Fig. lis a crosssection on the line designated i--l in Fig. 3 lookingl toward the lett; Fig'. 5 is an 'enlarged cross-section through the initiating nipple and the protector therefor, as indi cated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

-The articles shown, comprise two semiannular tubular members 10h10 joined together at their ends, in such manner that when they are deflated they lie side by side as shown in Fig. t and when inflated lie in planes at an angle to each other as shown in Fig. l, together with certain upward extensions ot the tubular members in the regions of their' junction.

As shown, the upward extension at one end comprises a neck 1]. which terminates in a head l2, and at the other end an upward and rearward contracting portion i3 representingl a tail. In the drawings these parts indicate a duck, although any suitable animal or other object might be indicated.

At some suitable point, as in the tail, an initiating nipple is provided whereby the iiat article may be blown by the users breath into the form shown in Fig'. l. Lhisv nipple may be ot any suitable form and is preferably covered by a flap l5 secured to` the article. The particular torni of flap and reference to Fig. 5.k ln the manufacture ot the article, a sheet of rubber A. may be employed, making'the outer side ot one ot the body .sectionsv 10 and one-hallC o1" the neck, head and tail; a similar' sheet B making the other halt of the head, neck and tail and the outer portion of the other tubularmembenand intermediate sheets C making the inner portion of the two tubular members,` these latter sheets being connected'to each other beneath the neck and tail portionsand between these regions are connected along their concave and convex edgestothe corresponding edges of the sheets Aand BQ The article may'bereadily manufactured w by means of a process `invented by Fred Thomas Roberts comprising surmount-inp; of sheets ot rubber lwith anintermediate doubled sheetl and joining` simultaneouslytwo outer sheets together in one region and each layer of the intermediate doubled sheet to the adjacent outer sheet in another region. Such process is illustrated and described in Mr. Robertss application No. IH2505 .tiled May 12th, 1924i and broadly claimed therein, and is also claimed more speciiically with reference to such an` article as here shown in another application to be tiled by Mr. Roberts. i

K Fig. 5 shows a usual form oi? inlating' nipple .comprising a bushing 20 passing' through the sheet A and having a head 2l on the inner side thereof and carrying he* yond that sheet a nut 22 threaded on'the bushinaand clamped against the outer ,sido

ofthe sheet. A suitable rubber reinforcing patch 24 is preferably provided between the head and the sheet A. Screwing into the bushing is a hollow plug' 25, the inner end 26 ot `which may extend across and close an opening` 27 in the head 21.

The plug 25 is shown in vclosed position in Fig. 5. It however, the plug is slightly unscrewed, the head 26 is carried away 'from the opening' 27 and then the operator may blow through the plug into the interior ot the rubber article. When the latter is properly inflated. the plug is simply screwed to its seat.

l nd it desirable to put a protector over the external portion ot the iilling nipple. preventing access et water into the interior.

This may be readily provided by the flap 15 heretofore mentioned. I have this shown as anchored at its upper end to the tail port-ion of the article by having an extension 16 passing between the junction seam ot' the sheets A and B. At the nipple this flap is formed into a suitable dome or cap 17 pro vided with inward annular protuberance or rib 1S. This enables this dome to be sprungr over the head ot the plug Q5 and retain its position thereon normally. It may however be removed from the plug by suitable torce applied to the end of the flap.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An article oit the character described. comprising a. plurality of partly annular tubular members connected together at their ends to make a eon'iplete annulus occupying;l a plurality ot planes. a tulnilar member extending upwardly from two of the members adjacentt-heir junction communicating with them and terminating in head, and means for inlating the article.

2. As a new article ot manu'iacture. a. swimming ring or similar article composed of two semi-annular tubular members connected together attheir ends to form a complete `annulus lying :in two planes at an angle to each other, andV tubular extensions leading upwardly romthe junctions ot' the semi-annular portions and connnunicating therewith, andmeans 'for inlating' the Femiannular portions and the extensions.

The combination oit a hollow rubber body, a hollow nipple connected with .said body whereby the same may be inliated. and a rubber flap carryingA means to engage and protect the lilling nipple.

4. In a swinnuinpr ring. the coiubiimtion ot a hollow body adapted to extend into a continuousl course, a nipple connertod with said body whereby the same may be intiated. and a rubber flap anchored to the body and carrying means to engage and protect the filling` nipple.

5. The combination oi a. hollow rubber' tubular body, a lling nipple therefor having a plug, a rubber flap secured to the body and haring a dome adapted to seat over the nipple plug.

6. The combination oi a hollow rubber tubular body, a iilling nipple therefor having a plug, a rubber iiap attached to the article and having a dome adapted to seat crei' the nipplel plug und a protuberance on the inner side oit the dome to engage beneath the head of the plug.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature.

ALBERT J. ELDON. 

